Finland promotes mediation in Africa

How can it be ensured that all mediators team up and pursue the same goal? What kind of experiences have been acquired as a result of efforts to resolve crises in Africa in the recent past? These are examples of the questions that will be addressed in the mediation seminar organised by Finland and the African Union in Addis Ababa on 4 May. The civil society organisations participating in the arrangements are ACCORD (African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes) from South Africa and CMI (Crisis Management Initiative) from Finland.

The seminar is a part of the project aimed at strengthening the mediation support capacity of the African Union, to which the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has allocated funding from its development cooperation appropriations. The seminar will focus, among other things, on non-state actors' position and examine how the goals set by the UN can be implemented at regional and local levels as well as how to increase cooperation between different actors.

In addition to the African Union and its member states, the seminar will be attended by UN Special Representatives and countries representing the Group of Friends of Mediation in the UN. Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja co-chairs the Group of Friends of Mediation with the Turkish Foreign Minister.

Additional information: Erik af Hällström, Counsellor, Leader of Africa Policy Team, tel. +358 295 350 542 and Lauratuulia Lehtinen, Counsellor, tel. +358 295 351 535.